AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BULLETPROOF BOMB - 11/02/2016





THE BULLETPROOF BOMB



This South London band who 'cannot be defined' released their last EP in 2014 which featured a mix of songs of different genres. They then followed this two other singles - '1-10' and 'Siege' which were released last year and are of a rather indie-rock and punk style.

Not only did we get the chance to witness the set of The Bulletproof Bomb but we managed to carry out a pre-gig interview with them on the first night of their latest tour of the UK. 

Our interview gave us insight into the life of the band before, during and life now. We also learnt some more personal things which were individual to each band member which are in the video below.

Quickfire Questions

How long have you all known each other? How did you all meet?

Joel: (signalling to Robbie, Tom, George and Mike) "They all met during school."

Robbie: "So year 7."

Mike: (to Joel) "Did we meet at Epsom Downs at a festival?"

Robbie: (to Joel) "I definitely met you at Epsom Downs in year 10."

Joel: "Yeah there was these concerts on a racecourse where teenagers get pissed and we met there."

When did you all decide music was something you wanted to pursue?

Robbie: "I'm gonna say age 11."

Mike: "When I first watched School of Rock."

Joel: "Yeah probably about 11."

Tom: "Same."

Joel: "The BBC played this documentary series called 'The Seven Ages of Rock' and that made me want to be a rockstar."

What influences your songs?

Joel: "I think the songs that are coming out the next EP are much more about our hometowns, suburbia and being underage."

Are you playing any new venues this tour?
Tom: "here." (The Rocking Chair)
Joel: "This one. We've done Leeds before."
Robbie: "I think we've done Cardiff before as well."
Joel: "Oh yeah, I think Leeds and Cardiff are the only ones that aren't. They're pretty much all new."

Which venue are you looking forward to the most?

Joel: "Last time Leeds was wicked and Leeds seems to have a really good music scene."

Robbie: "Not that Sheffield doesn't."

Joel: "Yeah Sheffield is still fine and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."

Out of the ones you have played, what has been the best venue, show and festival?
George: "We could say Reading for all three."
Mike: "Ibiza Rocks probably because of the snow."
Robbie: "Ibiza Rocks was the best venue because we were playing looking out over the Alps."

Who will be soundtracking your tour around the UK?

Tom: "The CD player is broken."

Mike: "We don't have any music."

Joel: "Last time we had 'A Grand Don't Come For Free' by The Streets."

Robbie: "We had Amy Winehouse."

Joel: "And we had Tom's mixtape which is the worst record I've ever heard in my life."

Tom: "'Yonkers' into 'Don't Stop the Cavalry' by Jona Lewie and then Joss Stone. Call me DJ, I mix things."

Mike: "DJ Butler in the mix."

February 2016 Tour Poster

What was it like playing the Festival Republic Tent at Reading last year?

Mike: "We didn't expect the huge crowd."

Robbie: "The crowd was ten times larger than we expected."

Joel: "We were the first act on all weekend, we thought there would be like fifty people. We went out to tune up and there was about a thousand people out there. I think it was a new level for us."

George: "The stage manager said it was the biggest crowd for that stage for the first act of the day in 10 years."

What would you consider your genre to be at present?

Joel: "Not indie, we are getting away from that"

Mike: "A little bit punky, a little bit scarry. You can't define us"

Joel: "I don't just wanna stick to one. I think we should have lots of them, just do everything."

How do you think your music has evolved since you started making it?

Mike: "I think we've grown up a lot."

Joel: "I think the early stuff it was pop music, it was all a bit happy clappy and I think it's a bit more angry now."

Robbie: "More Angry and more angsty."

Mike: "More dark." 

Joel: "I think there's more conflict in it."

Do you have any advice for people who are just starting out in a band and are seeking gigs and airplay?

Mike: "Be really annoying and don't worry about being annoying."

Tom: "Don't be embarrassed about asking."

Joel: "That's good advice. You have to sort of throw yourself out there and just don't be afraid to ask for things."

Do you have any small bands that you know of that we can check out?
Mike: "Matty and the Bullsharks."
Joel: "Check out Young Native. The Scruff Club."
Tom: "Yeah they're good."
George: "If there's one name to remember though its Young Native."

What kind of reception are you hoping to get from the new EP?

Joel: "I hope people lose their minds. I hope people run into the streets screaming about it."

Mike: "Hopefully it will be a good step to push us forward."

Robbie: "An explosive one."

After you filled the Festival Republic Tent at Reading and now you have a sold out Sheffield gig it seems you are getting a good reception all around the country rather than just in the South where you are from, how does that feel?

Mike: "We have more of a following up here than we do at home."

Joel: "It's hard to know because a lot of the gigs we do down South are all 18+ so its hard for people to get in and it's a bit of a nightmare to be honest but yeah, we love coming up North because they like guitar music and are still faithful to it and we like that a lot."

What do you think 2016 holds for Bulletproof?

Joel: "I don't know it would just be nice to continue an upward trend."

Tom: "Us doing better."

Mike: "More fun gigs."

Joel: "More fun. More of the same."

Robbie: "New name."

Joel: "Yeah new name, possibly."

Written by Sophie.